Focus

Between Rome and Dakar, the Machiavellianisms of Sant'Egidio

The electoral maneuvers of Andrea Riccardi in Italy. The diplomatic incident in Senegal, to the detriment of the Vatican. The awards bestowed in the curia for the sake of advancement

by Sandro Magister

ROME, February 5, 2013 – On Friday, February 1, precisely as in Rome the secretary of the Italian episcopal conference, Mariano Crociata, was warning about “not being deceived by charlatans of any kind,” in view of the upcoming elections in Italy, in Naples the incumbent prime minister and candidate Mario Monti was indicating in Andrea Riccardi, who was smiling beside him, nothing less than his “magnetic pole," the one who more than anyone else had determined and guided his entrance into politics.

The honors of hospitality were seen to by the archbishop of the city, Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, himself a great fan of the founder of the Community of Sant'Egidio. That Cardinal Sepe who at the permanent council of the CEI on the previous days, in addressing his colleague on the council Ambrosio Spreafico, bishop of Frosinone and member of the Community, had called him, by mistake but not entirely, Montezemolo, amid general hilarity.

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, a famous man of industry and president of Ferrari, in addition to being a relative of Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, is the founder and leader of the political movement Italia Futura, which launched together with Riccardi the candidacy of Monti for the leadership of the Italian government.

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For Riccardi and his followers, however, there is not only the Italian political theater, with its uncertain fortunes.

Also in recent days came the latest incident – the latest in a long series – to have taken place between the Community of Sant'Egidio and Vatican diplomacy, which in effect has always considered more hindrance than help the geopolitical activism of the “ UN of Trastevere."

The incident took place in Senegal. The Community of Sant'Egidio has intervened there a number of times, beginning in 1998, in order to “facilitate” an agreement between the government of Dakar and the pro-independence groups of the region of Casamance. Most recently, a few months ago, at the request of the leader of one of the factions at odds, Salif Sadio.

The negotiations between emissaries from the two sides took place in Rome, at the headquarters of the Community. Creating the impression in Senegal that the Vatican was the real architect of the operation.

But the apparent intervention of the Holy See in an internal conflict that the Senegalese authorities do not intend in any way to internationalize put these same authorities on high alert.

As a result, the Holy See had to intervene to clarify its role. And it did so through its nuncio in Senegal, Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor.

On January 31, at the end of a visit to the diocese of Ziguinchor in Casamance and after meeting with the leaders of the local Muslim and animist communities as well, Montemayor stated:

"There must be no confusion. The Community of Sant'Egidio is autonomous, and the Church does not oppose its intervening in the crisis. But if Senegal as a sovereign state does not ask the Holy See for mediation, the Holy See does not intervene. This is an internal affair that could create a diplomatic incident. The government of Senegal has the policy of not internationalizing the conflict in Casamance, and it has never asked the Holy See to intervene as 'facilitator.'"

The nuncio added that the crisis is aggravated by the presence of numerous factions within the pro-independence movement of Casamance.

He expressed the hope that the disarmament agreement would provide for the integration of the combatants within the national armed forces.

And above all, he cautioned that “without reconciliation, without pacification of souls, without mutual forgiveness there will never be a definitive peace.”

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Meanwhile, in Rome, the Community of Sant'Egidio has won a new position in the organizational chart of the Vatican curia.

On January 31, the president of the Community, Marco Impagliazzo, was appointed as an advisor to the pontifical council for the pastoral care of migrants and itinerants.

Impagliazzo teaches contemporary history at the University for Foreigners Perugia, and is pro-rector of this same university.

On February 15, 2011, in Perugia, Benedict XVI's personal secretary, Georg Gänswein, received from this university a degree “honoris causa" in systems of communication in international relations.

In the course of the ceremony Gänswein, who is a specialist in canon law, gave a “lectio magistralis" on relations between Church and state in Italy. And it was Impagliazzo who pronounced the “laudatio" in honor of the recipient.

Since that day the contacts between the Community of Sant'Egidio and Benedict XVI, mediated by the pope's secretary and already solid, have been strengthened even further. With Andrea Riccardi in a preeminent position.

The appointment of Vincenzo Paglia, a member of the Community of Sant'Egidio and for many years its spiritual assistant, as president of the pontifical council for the family, has been the most visible fruit of these contacts.

The appointment took place on June 26, 2012. And in the meantime, Riccardi had become minister of international cooperation in the “technocratic” government headed by Mario Monti and solidly supported by Italian head of state Giorgio Napolitano.

With close personal ties with both Monti and Napolitano, Riccardi has not personally joined the fray as a candidate in the political elections scheduled for February 24 in Italy. But he is among Monti's most influential advisers in the electoral campaign. He is planning on being called as a minister in a future government, or being sought out as mayor of the city of Rome.

Returning to the appointment of Impagliazzo as an advisor of the pontifical council for the pastoral care of migrants and itinerants, a curious award ceremony preceded it by a few days.

On January 29, Cardinal Antonio Maria Vegliò, the president of this pontifical council, received from the Romanian government the honorific of the national Order of the Star of Romania, with the rank of commodore.

And where did the award ceremony take place?, In Rome, at Piazza Sant'Egidio, at the headquarters of the Community.